The Harvard University’s Law and Policy workshop in progress at Hamad bin Khalifa University.
DOHA: Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and Harvard University’s Institute for Global Law and Policy (IGLP) will facilitate a knowledge exchange for both universities in the years to come.
After offering it for three years in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the IGLP workshop reached beyond the US to Doha for a second home.
The workshop, which took place at Education City recently, attracted 140 scholars, faculty, and young policy professionals to the heart of the Gulf state.
Designed and created by Harvard’s Law School in 2008, this year’s workshop stayed true to its origins. The curriculum and agenda were chosen by Harvard and adapted to fit within Qatar’s legal and cultural setting. In addition, scholars and faculty who applied to participate were reviewed by the world renowned university and invited based on academic merit.
The workshop’s design brings together people from a multitude of backgrounds and careers and facilitates research and writing on issues of global law, economic policy, and social justice. Bringing the workshop to Qatar expanded and deepened the potential for research in the context of the Middle East and the Arab Spring.
“I have never seen so many people of so many different backgrounds gathered in one place,” said Hessa Al Muhannadi, a young policy professional. “Because of this diversity, we have been able to learn about different parts of the world.”
With participants that hailed from Qatar, the Middle Eastern region, Asia, Australia, and as far away as the US, the IGLP workshop had something of value to offer to everyone. As Suha Jubran Ballan, a PhD student, explained: “At this workshop, you get to have conversations you can’t have anywhere else.”
While some of the participants were taking part for the first time, there were a few present that had been attending the conference since its inception. These participants were attracted to attend this year’s workshop because of its unique location, and the region’s influence on the sessions.
The Peninsula
